VW among winners as Italy's market gains 8%

New-car sales in Italy rose 8.2 percent in May in the best result for the month in nine years.

Registrations increased to 204,113 last month, according to figures published by the transport ministry on Thursday.

May had the same number of working days as the same month in 2016.

Sales to business customers rose 41 percent and those to rental car companies increased by 4.4 percent, while demand by private customers was up only 0.7 percent and remains in negative territory (down 1.3 percent) in the first five months.

“The figures are the best for May since 2008 despite a fall in consumer and business confidence,” industry association ANFIA said.

May’s increase was helped by tax incentives to rental companies and businesses, Filippo Pavan Bernacchi, head of dealer association Federauto, said. Self-registrations by dealers and carmakers also boosted sales, he said.